


Salt and Unearthed

by EzraTheBlue



Series: FFXV Halloween Shorties [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: (sort of), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, FFXV Halloween Week, Grief/Mourning, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret Lives, Major Character Undeath, Mild Blood, Other, Tactile Reassurance, Undead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-12 21:49:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21233105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzraTheBlue/pseuds/EzraTheBlue
Summary: FFXV Halloween Week - Day 5: Zombies & the UndeadWhen Prompto and Gladio had reached the altar where Lunafreya and Noctis had been meant to commune with Leviathan, Noctis was laid out like a ragdoll, Ignis was curled onto himself with burns on his arms and face, and Lunafreya was sitting up between them, seeming to hold her breath as she tried to keep a grip on each of them. Her skin had an awful, gray cast, her eyes were dull, she reeked of seawater, and the jagged knife wound that had spilled crimson blood all down her side had stopped bleeding, the blood drying in a puddle around her.She had looked right through Prompto, and he saw an eerie purple light, like an unearthly fire, come into her eyes. “Help them,” she’d whispered, and he and Gladio had jumped to obey.Lunafreya died at the altar of Leviathan. Mostly.





	Salt and Unearthed

**Salt and Unearthed**

Prompto couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He couldn’t imagine how Noctis could dare to be out of the same room she’s in. 

After all, she shouldn’t be. She shouldn’t _ be_.

And yet, Lunafreya was sitting neatly on a chaise in one of Secretary Claustra’s spare rooms, wearing a borrowed blue nightdress, her hair loose of its usual style and her hands folded on her thighs. Her skin was gray. Her heart isn’t beating. She doesn’t seem to breathe.

She shouldn’t be alive. 

When Prompto and Gladio had reached the altar where Lunafreya and Noctis had been meant to commune with Leviathan, Noctis was laid out like a ragdoll, Ignis was curled onto himself with burns on his arms and face, and Lunafreya was sitting up between them, seeming to hold her breath as she tried to keep a grip on each of them. Her skin had an awful, gray cast, her eyes were dull, she reeked of seawater, and the jagged knife wound that had spilled crimson blood all down her side had stopped bleeding, the blood drying in a puddle around her. 

She had looked right through Prompto, and he saw an eerie purple light, like an unearthly fire, come into her eyes. “Help them,” she’d whispered, and he and Gladio had jumped to obey.

Now, Gladio had gone to watch over Ignis and Noctis as they slept off their injuries, but Prompto was posted inside Lunafreya’s door, guarding her against anything that might come for her, though he wasn’t entirely convinced that he wasn’t supposed to be keeping her in. He wasn’t sure what could possible be coming for her. Death had come for her once already. It had clearly done its best, but though Etro had beckoned her on, for some reason, she hadn’t followed.

The purple flames lighting her eyes hadn’t left. She hadn’t slept in two days. When offered food, she demurred, claiming she had no appetite. She hadn’t asked to leave the room, to see anyone. Prompto had an idea there was something she wanted, but she’d gotten a single taste then watched it vanish.

Noctis had woken up a few hours ago and had staggered into the room in a raucous clatter, shoving Prompto out of the way as he forced the door open. He’d stared at her for an endless moment, jaw agape, and she stared right back, unblinking. Then, she smiled, her eyes crinkling, and whispered, “Dear Noctis. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

Noctis had remained slackjawed and mute for another moment, frozen in place, frozen in time. Then, he’d spun about and fled the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Lunafreya’s face fell in disappointment.

“I suppose I can hardly blame him.”

Prompto sort of did. He hadn’t dared leave the room, not when offered relief, not when offered food. He’d eaten the meals one of Claustra’s maids had brought while sitting on the floor and shoved his half-empty plate out into the hall, hoping Lady Lunafreya wouldn’t care about his manners, and he’d slept at his post, afraid to close his eyes for too long out of fear she might disappear again. 

Lunafreya wasn’t disappearing. She would bathe in the mornings, though Prompto still faintly smelled seawater on her under the soap and her perfume. She would read over her journal, tracing her narrow fingers across the pages with her lips pursed. She read the books on Claustra’s shelf, retrieving one, returning to her perch on the chaise, and languidly flipping through before returning it and beginning the process again. She would sometimes gaze out the window at the wreckage of Altissia and sigh.

Those sighs, from breathless lungs, wrenched at Prompto’s heart.

Finally, now, two days in, that sigh pulled his heartstrings enough to bring words out with them: “It’s awful. I wish I knew what to do to help.”

Lunafreya turned slowly, surprised, then nodded. “It is, I concur. I fear that when it comes to material things, I have only as much power as any other single human.” She put a hand over her own breast, touching at her motionless heart. “I can call down and commune with Gods, I can take the spreading scourge from a suffering soul, but when it comes to repairing broken homes, rebuilding a city, I can only do the same as any man: brick by brick.”

“Yeah, mood.” Prompto sighed as well. “And honestly, I wouldn’t know where to put those bricks.”

Lunafreya actually giggled a little. “Ah, but the creativity there - there’s potential. You could very well create something beautiful and new with a blank canvas such as that. You give yourself too little credit, Prompto.” Prompto startled - had he introduced himself?! Lunafreya gasped at his expression. “Ah, I apologize - you are Prompto, aren’t you? Prompto Argentum. The young man who helped my Pryna, those many years ago.” Her firelit eyes gleamed a little as her face crinkled with gentle mirth, warm enough that Prompto forgot, for a moment, that she was dead. 

“I am. P-prompto, that is, yeah.” He put his arm across his chest and gave the traditional Lucian bow. “It’s a pleasure to m… I’m sorry I didn’t properly introduce myself before! I, uh, I guess I didn’t know how, or if I was allowed to, or-”

“It’s quite alright.” Lunafreya waved a dainty hand. “It seems that nobody quite knows what to do with me, now.”

Prompto came up short. “Uh.”

“After all,” she continued, her gaze falling to the velvet beside her legs. “I don’t know that I was supposed to survive.”

Prompto’s stupid, stupid mouth was faster than his brain: “What do you think happened?” _ Stupid_, his brain caught up, _ she _ _ died__, don’t be disrespectful! _

Lunafreya disregarded his rudeness, if she even considered it rude at all: “I only have the vaguest inkling. Ardyn Izunia… his assault took the toll it was meant to, but I felt… something.” She strained to articulate, gesticulating with a few turns of her hand. “I’m not certain it was a _ good _ something, either. I’m… I’m not certain…” She bit her lip. “The strains of summoning the Gods, of healing the Scourge… I wonder if my pain did not take on a life of its own, in a way.”

Prompto’s jaw fell open, and he wondered if this was how Noctis felt at the shock of seeing Lunafreya alive. 

“I think,” she went on, “Ignis… he… he took the Ring from me. I fear he may have… I think he may have tried to use it.” She lowered her eyes. “It was to save Noctis. I think the only reason he survived it at all is because he took action to save the Chosen King from departing this world before accomplishing their desired goal. That same magic touched me, too.” She looked Prompto dead on again, that purple fire in her dull, gray eyes burning a hole in his soul. “I think that part of me died, but some of me was meant to go on. For whatever reason, I continue on like this.” 

“Yeah…” Prompto wasn’t sure what to say to that. _ We’ll fix this? _ That was as good as telling her, “We’ll kill you as soon as we figure out how.” _ I’m sorry? _ That sounded like, “I’m sorry you’re not dead.” _ It’ll be okay? _ But would it?!

“It’s strange.” Lunafreya chewed on her lower lip contemplatively. “It’s unnatural, and yet… I cannot be unhappy.” She bowed her head, and clasped her hands tight. “Is it wrong? To be… to be grateful to have survived, even if it is like this?”

“No.” Finally, something Prompto didn’t have to overthink. “No, I don’t think so. I’m happy you survived too.” He abandoned his post for the first time to cross the room to stand beside her. “May I take the liberty of taking your hand, Lady Lunafreya?”

She craned her head up with surprise plain in her features. “Dear Prompto, you needn’t ask.” She offered her hand to him, and he took it and squeezed it. Her skin was ice cold, frigid and stiff, but her expression when he took her hand was warm and grateful. “Oh,” she whispered, sounding baffled, and Prompto tried to withdraw, but she held him back. “I… I apologize… nobody has touched me since… since…”

“Oh,” Prompto inadvertently said, and clutched her hand in both of his. “That’s not cool.” He gave her a smile and rubbed little circles on both sides of her hand with his thumbs. “I know that once I started getting hugs on the regular, I started getting twitchy when I didn’t get a little physical affection for a few days.”

Lunafreya giggled, and stroked his arm with her free hand. “And yet, here you’ve stood for the last few days, a silent vigil, never leaving my side.” Her gentle ministration drew him down to sit beside her. She was even colder up close. Prompto didn’t care. “It was uncomfortably familiar to the Imperial guards, I must admit, but I’m grateful you stayed with me.” She bowed her forehead to touch his. “Thank you.” 

Prompto’s heart fluttered. He wondered if she could feel it. “No, thank you. You’re the reason me and Noct met, after all.” He leaned down to let his nose touch hers. “If there’s a way to make this better, so you’re actually alive again? We’ll find it. Ignis is the smartest guy in the world, and Gladio will do anything for Noct, and Noct-”

The study door slammed against the wall just then, as Noctis burst in. He froze in the aperture again, as Lunafreya looked up, and the fire in her eyes banked low. “Noctis?”

Noctis was still and silent again for another second, then moved to shut the door. “Every time,” he said hesitantly, breathlessly, “every time I look at you, something tells me what I’m seeing can’t be real. You… you’re really here, though, aren’t you?”

“I am, yes.” She extended her open hand to him. “Please, dear Noctis. I’ve missed you.”

Noctis took a step closer, then stumbled and tumbled to his knees at Lunafreya’s feet. “Luna,” he choked, voice thick, and Prompto saw tears dripping onto the carpet beneath him. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t save you, all I wanted was to save you…”

“Shhhh.” Lunafreya turned from Prompto and cupped her fingers under Noctis’ chin. “You’ve done so much already, Noctis. I’m still with you.”

He shuddered at her touch and loosed a sob. “L-Luna…”

Lunafreya hushed him a few times as she drew his head onto her knees. “It’s alright. I’m here and will be here.” She looked to Prompto, smiling fondly. “We’re all here for you, Noctis.”

“All of you…” That only made Noctis cry a little harder, sobs bubbling out painfully. Prompto’s chest hurt, and Lunafreya winced as if his pain was her own. “Everything… everything I could have ever wanted was always given to me," Noctis rasped, as he rubbed his eyes against the hem of her dress. Prompto winced, but Lunafreya stroked his hair and hushed him with soft little nonsense reassurances. He shivered, and choked out, "Don't deserve it. Don't deserve them. I couldn't even help you, couldn't save anyone... Almost lost you, all of them.” Noctis sobbed again. “Ignis… what about the others?”

“We’re here too, Noct.” Prompto leaned over him, trying to catch his gaze, but Noctis couldn’t tear his eyes away from Lunafreya. “Iggy’s a little roughed up, but-”

“I will do what I can to help him,” Lunafreya declared, firm and proud, and brushed her fingertip against Noctis’ chin to make him lift his face. “If the Gods still see fit to let me attend my duties as Oracle, to heal Eos’ people of their pain and woes, I will do whatever I can to restore his sight.”

Noctis didn’t answer, face working with grief and pain and heartache as he looked into Lunafreya’s face. Finally, he gasped out, “I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

“It’s alright. I’ve not been alone.” She nodded to Prompto and shot him a winning smile, and Prompto forgot a little more that she was dead. “I’m glad to see you have such good friends at your side.”

Noctis glanced towards Prompto, and a faint flush stole across his face. “Yeah… he’s the best. Thanks for watching over her, man.”

“Don’t mention it.” Prompto patted Noctis on the back, and Noctis nodded and smeared the tears from his eyes. Prompto pretended he hadn’t seen Noctis cry, and patted the back of Lunafreya’s tufted chaise. “Come on, man, sit on the chair with the lady. You two were supposed to be married, it’s okay for you to talk to each other.” 

Lunafreya smiled wearily, but Noctis dragged himself up to sit beside her, rubbing tears away. "We still can, if that's what you want." Noctis took her other hand. Prompto saw him flinch, but he smoothed it over with a smile. For the first time since Noctis had come in, however, Lunafreya’s serene expression wavered, her brows knit, and her face falling.

“If only, dear Noctis, but if I recall, the vows require ‘til death do us part.’ I fear that death has already parted us.” She turned her shoulders as if to withdraw, but Noctis grasped at her.

“But you came back. You're still here.” Noctis squeezed her hand tight, and she raised her eyes a little. “And I will never let anything separate us again. I promise, I’m not going to let anyone else get hurt.” He took her other hand in his and clasped tight, as if he was trying to help bring heat back to her hands. From the way her face lit up, even if he couldn’t warm her up literally, he was warming her heart one way or another.

“We can worry about it later,” she whispered, and kissed Noctis on the cheek. 

“Yeah,” Noctis agreed, then reached over and patted Prompto’s knee. “It’s enough to have you with me.”

“I’m not the only one, of course. We all made it through, one way or another.” Lunafreya looked between Prompto and Noctis, smiling fondly at each of them. “Will you take me to Ignis? I’d like to find out if I can help him.”

“Of course.” Prompto stood first and held out his left arm. “I’m still going to keep an eye on you, though.” He winked at her. “After all, I’m supposed to keep anything from harming you.”

“You better watch yourself with her, she’s a lady.” Noctis smiled wryly. “I’ve got the both of you from here.” He offered Lunafreya his right arm. Lunafreya laughed a little and took both of their hands in hers. Her fingers were still cold, but Noctis and Prompto traded a glance to affirm with each other: it didn’t matter.

She was there with them, smelling of sylleblossoms and salt air. Whatever had been destroyed in those precious moments when she’d been lost to the world could be rebuilt one way or another, brick by brick, and perhaps into something new and beautiful.


End file.
